27-11-2024 (COX’S BAZAR) The International Criminal Court’s announcement seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s junta leader has sparked waves of cautious optimism among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s sprawling camps, where approximately one million members of the persecuted Muslim minority have sought sanctuary.
“This represents a significant milestone for our community,” declared Sayod Alam, a prominent Rohingya civil society leader speaking from the densely populated relief camps of Cox’s Bazar. The camps have become home to those who fled what the United Nations has termed potential genocidal violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
The ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for an arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing marks the first such action against a high-ranking Myanmar official concerning the Rohingya crisis. The military leader, who commanded the army during the 2017 crackdown, has consistently rejected the very term “Rohingya” as fictional, despite the community’s well-documented historical presence in Myanmar.
“The Rohingya community has long awaited this development,” noted Senoara Khatun, a community school teacher in the camps. “We hope this initiates a broader process of accountability for all perpetrators of these crimes.”
However, amidst the celebrations, practical concerns persist. Maung Sayodullah, who heads a civil rights organisation in Cox’s Bazar, highlighted ongoing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, where conflict between the Arakan Army and junta forces continues unabated. The United Nations has warned of impending famine in the region.
Should the ICC judges approve the warrant request, the court’s 124 member states would be obligated to arrest Min Aung Hlaing if he enters their territories. Yet for many refugees, immediate humanitarian concerns take precedence over international legal proceedings.
“While we welcome these legal developments, our primary desire remains repatriation with dignity and security,” emphasised Alam, echoing a sentiment shared by many in the camps. “The international community must prioritise creating conditions for our safe return to Myanmar.”
